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I have probably only tried this tea once since I first ordered it. It’s been so long I can’t even remember. Here lately I’ve been revisiting old teas with a fresh perspective, hoping to find something I couldn’t see before…

For this tea I used 3tsp of leaf to 10oz of water, just under boiling. A 10-second rinse brought out heady scents of peach, honey, and lychee! I used my nose to decide when to end the first steep. It was right at two minutes, which fits my normal brewing parameters for black teas.

The initial flavor was peach accompanied by a tart, full juiciness. The sip then turned to cream…sweetness…dark honey. An intoxicating brew. Malt and caramel followed soon after. I noticed that as it cooled, it became more vegetal and grapey like a Darjeeling. It was still honey-sweet but it seemed to sit more lightly on the tongue.

The second steep was 3min 30. I got peaches and cream with a hint of floral background. The finish was slightly drying. Rich caramel-chocolate flavors stayed long after each sip. Despite the dark, heavy flavors at the end the tea was actually very mellow. It’s something I would save for an after-dinner cup.

Hmm…It’s interesting how much my tastes have changed just over the past year. I wasn’t picking up on all of the subtleties before. I’m glad I came back to this tea! And I still have a decent amount left to enjoy, too. (: